


Constellations On Your Skin

by TheRainbowFox



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Beaches, Body Image, Crushes, Cute, Day At The Beach, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Freckles, Mutual Pining, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, soft!Doc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 13:05:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19464607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRainbowFox/pseuds/TheRainbowFox
Summary: The Doctor takes her fam away for a nice trip to the beach and Yaz helps her pick something more practical to wear. It turns out, Time Lords tan faster than humans, which is a surprise for both of them.





	Constellations On Your Skin

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to thank the cult for giving me this idea and having me run away with it.  
> It was going to be part of a series, but a standalone happened.
> 
> ALSO SHOUTOUT TO GINOODLE WHO ONLY DREW ART OF THIS MOMENT!  
> Find it on her scraps @GinoodleScraps on Twitter

She couldn’t really remember who’s idea it was, but someone had decided they were going to spend the week away at a beach resort. Ideas had been thrown around about Greece this and Thailand that, but the Doctor had a much better idea. A man-made beach planet. Each set of guests had their own private island with chefs, amusements, everything they could think. Of. All she had to do was call in a favour from the owner - striking fear into their hearts after Platform One - and the deed was done. They could all do with a getaway, really, if she thought about it. Since travelling with her, her fam had not exactly had any…quality downtime? Or done much in the way of normal human activities. They just saw the universe together.

It was time to thank them, really.

“Right then you lot, dunno about you but I could do with seeing a bit of sun. Would make a chance after that spontaneous trip to the Arctic. Sorry, again, by the way.”

Graham had lapped up the chance to don some Hawaiian shirts. Ryan was already leaving the TARDIS to get away, whilst the Doctor found them to be pretty cool. Half contemplated getting some for herself briefly. She let the boys wander off, almost quietly confident that no danger was lurking. A few moments after, Yaz appeared in the console room.

“Let me guess, they couldn’t stand to wait, could they?”

Smile creeping up on her face, the Doctor twisted around to respond before falling short on words.

For all her eyes could see, Yaz was just standing there…in an oversized shirt. Sure she had golden sandals on, her hair cascading over her shoulders and a straw sunhat, but the rest of her was just in a white shirt. The Doctor had to run on the assumption that something was underneath it. Perhaps shorts, or a swimming costume…bikini…something other than just swathes of dark skin on show for her eyes to see. In retrospect, the Doctor knew she was staring. Either at the ensemble or the toned form of Yaz’s arms and legs. Her admiration soon turned into the weirdest form of self loathing. Shuffling around on the spot, she thrust her hands into her coat pockets and smiled her best smile.

“Can you blame them? Illios has the best beaches in this galaxy! Come on, I’ll show you.”

She went to make a move, tear herself away, but she was paused by a hand stilling against her elbow.

“Doctor, are you…are you going to the beach dressed like that?”

It took a moment for the comment to register before the Doctor fell into shock.

“Oi! What’s that supposed to mean? I go everywhere like this. I thought you lot liked my outfit.”

“No. I mean, yes, I do like your outfit. But, what I _mean_ is…aren’t you going to get too hot in all of that? Also, sand in your boots and coat isn’t going to be fun.”

Mouth hanging slightly open, the Doctor looked down at herself. She had gone everywhere in her clothes, since crashing into Sheffield. She had a ton of spares for a reason. Also, she could regulate her temperature quite fine. Although, the more she thought about it, the more she realised Yaz had a bit of a point.

“Dunno. Heat isn’t a problem for me. But I guess having sand in my socks would be a bit of a pain. I just…don’t really have much else. And…”

There was a pause. Certain annoying thoughts sprang up in her mind, but the Doctor quashed them down. As her eyes lifted back up, she saw Yaz smiling, and her hearts quickly fell into a quicktime rhythm.

“If you need something to wear, maybe I have something? Or maybe the TARDIS can magic something into thin air again. I know she does it, otherwise how do you have the same t-shirt in different colours. Come on, I’ll help.”

Just like that, the hand on her elbow came to wrap around her arm and the Doctor found herself being pulled out of the console room. She could hear the TARDIS buzzing in amusement, which did not help to stop her mind wandering away again. Yaz was going to help her with clothes. Which meant that she would not be as covered up as she was. Which meant that her friends were about to see a great deal many things she tried her best to not acknowledge. Not that she didn’t trust them to be kind or nice or whatever else, she just preferred not to be without at least three layers at any one time. After a few moments, they were both in the expansive wardrobe room, and the Doctor was left standing awkwardly near the small changing area.

“Yaz…listen…I-”

“Why don’t you show me what you used to wear. Don’t think I’m going to throw you in a sundress or something. I’m not that bad, you did good picking your own clothes so take whatever makes you feel comfortable, okay? No pressure.”

Stars, she could have cried right then and there. How could she have even thought of doubting sweet, kind, wonderful Yasmin Khan. Problem was, this was doing nothing at all for the flush burning her cheeks nor the racing of her hearts.

By the time they both set foot onto the warm pale sands of Illios, Ryan and Graham were already laid flat out on the beach. Yaz made her way over first, turning back occasionally to keep an eye on the slow and calculated moves of the Doctor. Who, as it turned out, was terribly self conscious. She had eventually settled on a white sports bra style top, not too dissimilar to the one usually hidden under her shirts, with a rainbow coloured band that matched the similarly printed board shorts. The longest parts of her hair had been tied back up into a small ponytail, barely holding itself together. She dropped into the sand with a quiet thud, rousing Graham briefly. He lifted up his sunglasses with a smile.

“Huh, never thought I’d see you without your getup Doc.”

She offered a polite smile back, her eyes turned down. She was too busty staring at her skin, annoyed at how it was the same colour as the sand, to pay attention to Graham. Fingers danced over the small blemishes, the dimples, the faded white lines dotted across her stomach and hips. Everything she wanted to not pay attention to, was taking her attention. However, her stupor was broken when Yaz dropped down beside her. Nothing was said, she just reached down to the edges of her shirt and pulled it over her head. The Doctor could not help but watch - it was impossible - and every inch of toned skin hit her square on. Having witnessed Yaz in gym clothes was one thing, but having her inches away in nothing more than a black bikini was something else entirely.

All rational thought really did leave. So much so that she quickly lay down on her back and pretended to be enjoying the sun.

She was unsure at how much time had passed. Somehow the warmth of the sun had lulled her into a brief sleep, eyes cracking open slightly at the noises around her. Ryan and Graham had moved off to the water with a football, kicking it in and out of the surf and chasing after it. Entirely childish, but it made her hearts swell with pride. She turned her head to the other side, realising that Yaz was now sitting up with a drink in her hand. Before she could go back to closing her eyes, she found herself jolting upright at the sound of a cough and splutter.

“Yaz? Are you okay? What’s wrong?!”

Dropping the bottle onto the sand, Yaz coughed into a balled up fist, taking in lungfuls of air before managing to straighten herself out again.

“Just…drank…too fast.”

There was a beat of silence before Yaz turned towards her, eyebrows almost reaching her hairline.

“Doctor! You’re…how have you got a tan in less than a couple of hours?!”

“Huh? Wha-”

Arms lifted to the air, in front of her eyes, body twisting and turning to take in everything. Somewhat surprisingly, Yaz was right. Her milky skin was now golden. She saw tiny dark flecks over her arms and chest, half wondering if they were anywhere else too. A strand of hair fell from the hasty ponytail, catching her eye as it glittered even paler than usual. Arms lowering back down to her sides, the Doctor went to say something - anything - but fell short again. For the first time, at least to her notice, Yaz was silent. And still. Eyes wide. She shrank back into herself slightly, turning to look towards the deep blue waters.

“Uh…I guess Time Lord’s tan quicker or something. Is…is it bad?”

Eyes daringly turned back, and still Yaz persisted in doing nothing. The Doctor had half a mind to go back to the TARDIS, cover back up in her coat and boots, and pretend the whole thing never happened. The sands around her shifted slightly as Yaz lifted a hand to twist some strands of her hair around her fingers, eyes now dropping and face frowning.

“No! N-no…it’s not bad…honestly I’m a little bit jealous. Takes me ages to catch the sun. Sometimes end up burning quicker. Dunno why I didn’t expect you to freckle up so much, being pale and all. I like it.”

Her trailed off slowly near the end, almost inaudible, but the Doctor caught them. Butterflies swam around in her head and through her body, lightheadedness kicking in as she lay herself back into the sand with a smile.

“Thanks Yaz. Wake me up again when I start to cook, yeah?”

“Yeah, of course.”

As she drifted off again, the Doctor found herself thinking of two things; the first was replaying the words ‘I like it’ over and over again in her crush addled mind, the second was the curiosity over how it would feel to have Yaz map out every single one of her new found freckles.


End file.
